Q. How is estrogen dominance defined?
A.
Dr. John Lee coined the term “estrogen dominance,” which
is described as a condition where a woman may have deficient, normal,
or excessive estrogen but has little or no progesterone to balance
its effects in the body.

Q. What causes estrogen dominance?
A. There are many factors
that can lead to a hormonal imbalance; for example,
diet, stress, impaired liver function, environmental chemical toxicities,
lack of exercise, nutritional deficiencies, hormone replacement
therapy, and estrogen dominance.

Q. Can a woman have symptoms of estrogen
dominance even if her estrogen levels are low? A. Yes, this can occur
if a woman is not producing progesterone.

Q. How do I know if I am estrogen
dominant?A.
Symptoms of estrogens dominance vary from mild to severe. This includes
a wide array of symptoms and may vary from person to person.

Q. Can I be estrogen dominant even
though I am in menopause or post menopausal? A.
Yes, even though a menopausal/postmenopausal woman may not be producing
as much estrogen, she can still be exposed to xenoestrogens. Using
Calcium D-Glucarate can be beneficial in eliminating unhealthy circulating
estrogens. Additionally, progesterone production reduces at this
time also which can cause an imbalance.

Q. Should I have my hormones tested
to determine if I am estrogen dominant? A. It is a good idea to have your
hormone levels checked to determine the status of your estrogen
levels, as well as testosterone and progesterone which can be out
of balance, especially if there is excess circulating estrogen.

Q. Is it better to have a hormone
test from blood or saliva?A. According to
Dr. Lee, protein-bound hormones (progesterone, testosterone, estrogen)
are more soluble in the water component of the blood. While bound
to protein in the blood, only a small percentage of the hormone
is active. Therefore, a blood serum concentration of these hormones
is not an accurate measure of active hormones in the body because
such a test does not account for the larger amount of hormones on
the red blood cell membranes which are fat soluble.
Some doctors prefer blood tests and combine that information with
symptoms to develop their own interpretation of the results to determine
his or her readings.

Q. How do I go about having my hormone
levels checked? A. You
can ask your doctor about testing your hormone levels. If this is
unsuccessful you can look in the yellow pages for a “Compounding
Pharmacist” in your area. This type of pharmacist formulates
bio-identical hormone products for doctors who help with natural
hormone balancing and should be able to offer names of such physicians
who can order this particular type of testing. You may also refer
to these links for a referral of compounding pharmacies and naturopathic
doctors in your area that may be able to help, as well. www.pccarx.com/contact.asp
www.naturopathic.org

Q. How important is a well functioning
liver for healthy estrogen metabolism? A.
It is very important; the ovaries produce “raw” estrogen
in the form of estradiol and estrone. It is the livers job to metabolize
the raw estrogens into a safe form known as estriol, which our bodies
utilize safely. If the liver is overburdened, then it has a hard
time metabolizing these estrogens and they are re-circulated throughout
the bloodstream and deposited in uterine and breast tissues as well
at fat cells.

Q. Does being overweight play a
role in estrogen dominance? A.
Yes, for reasons mentioned above. When “raw” estrogen
is not metabolized properly, excess un-metabolized estrogen can
be deposited and stored in fat cells.

Q. Is there any type of diet that
can help control estrogen dominance? A. Yes, you can help lower your
estrogen levels by reducing excess calorie intake, avoiding sugars
and refined carbohydrates, maintaining a high-fiber diet, and supplementing
with high-fiber products such as rice bran. Drinking more than two
cups of coffee per day has been shown to increase estrogen levels.
Eliminating soy products and other phytoestrogens is also important
so that you do not add any more estrogen to an already dominant
body.

Q. Can estrogen dominance lead
to vitamin/mineral deficiencies?A. Excess estrogen
can create nutrient deficiencies of zinc, magnesium, and all of
the B Vitamins. Every one of these dietary nutrients is essential
for the maintence of hormonal balance.

Q. What are Phytoestrogens and
can they contribute to estrogen dominance? A. Phytoestrogens (phyto meaning
plant) are naturally occurring estrogenic compounds that are found
in almost all varieties of foods, herbs, and spices. The chemical
structure of phytoestrogens resembles estrogen. However, these compounds
are considered weak estrogens when compared to real estrogen and
xenoestrogens. It is important to remember that when the body is
already estrogen dominant, adding estrogen of any type can increase
this condition.

Q. I thought phytoestrogens were
supposed to be good for women and women’s fibrosis conditions?
A.
You can consume plant foods (other than soy or flax) such
as, leafy greens, legumes, and whole grains safely because they
act as harmless, mild estrogens. Therefore, they compete against
the stronger, more harmful estrogens for the body’s hormone
receptor sites. Herbs and foods that are highly phytoestrogenic
should only be used for short periods of time to correct an imbalance
when fibroids are not present and estrogen dominance is not an issue.
Long term use of such herbs can lead to increased estrogen levels.